63. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his first sermon after the people’s allegiance to him following the assassination of `Uthmān: “Now, be aware, nobody should care about anyone else except himself; one before whose eyes is the fire of Hell is distracted from Paradise [by thinking of the Hell]. There are three groups [of people]: the hard-working struggler, the hopeful seeker, and the neglectful whose place is in the Fire. There are two other groups: the angel who flies by two wings and a prophet whom God supports. There is no sixth.”
“Perished is he who claims, and he who plunges into (doubts) will tumble; both the right and the left are misleading and the middle way is the [right] Path; the Path on which are the Qur'ān, the sunna and the traces of Prophethood.”
“God has cured [the pains of] this nation by two medicines: the whip and the sword. The imām is to have no leniency [towards wrong-doings],¹ so hide in your houses and improve yourselves. Repentance is behind you. The one who rises to battle against the truth will be destroyed.”
“There were things that took place wherein you are not excused for in my view and if I wanted to state them, I would. May God forgive what has occurred! Those two men left and the third one rose like a raven whose only concern is its belly. Woe on him! It would be better for him if his wings were clipped and his head cut off.
“Look (and listen carefully)! If you have not believed then deny, but if you recognize, then take action. There is right and wrong and there are followers for each. If wrong dominates, it has always happened so in the past, and if truth goes down, that may one day gain power even though insignificant. It seldom happens that a thing that lags behind comes forward. If you return to
Yourselves (your senses), you will become fortunate. I fear that you remain in laxity; I have no other duty but to be diligent.”
“Let it be known that the pious of my family and the pure ones of them are the most tolerant in childhood and the most knowledgeable in adulthood. Let it be known that we are the household that have acquired our knowledge from the Divine Knowledge, we rule by Divine Command and we are committed to the sayings of a truthful person. If you follow our signs, you will be guided by our insight; otherwise Allah will destroy you with our hands. The banner of Truth is with us. Those who follow it will reach [us] and those who turn their back on it will perish.”
“Let it be known that through us the failings of the faithful will be made up for and through us the loop of humiliation will be removed from your necks. It [Guidance] begins by us, rather than by you and it ends by us, rather than by you.”²

63. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام ـ في أوَّلِ خُطبَةٍ خَطَبَها بَعدَ بَيعَةِ النّاسِ لَهُ عَلَى الأَمرِ، وذٰلِكَ بَعدَ قَتلِ عُثمانَ ـ: أمّا بَعدُ، فَلا يُرعِيَنَّ مُرعٍ إلّا عَلىٰ نَفسِهِ، شُغِلَ عَنِ الجَنَّةِ مَنِ النّارُ أمامَهُ، ساعٍ مُجتَهِدٌ، وطالِبٌ يَرجو، ومُقَصَّرٌ فِي النّارِ، ثلاثَةٌ، وَاثنانِ: مَلَكٌ طارَ بِجَناحَيهِ، ونَبِيٌّ أخَذَ اللهُ بِضَبعَيهِ،¹ لا سادِسٌ.
هَلَكَ مَنِ ادَّعىٰ، ورَدِيَ مَنِ اقتَحَمَ. اليَمينُ وَالشِّمالُ مَضَلَّةٌ، وَالوُسطَى الجادَّةُ، مَنهَجٌ عَلَيهِ باقِي² الكِتابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وآثارِ النُّبُوَّةِ.
إنَّ اللهَ تَعالى داوىٰ هذِهِ الاُمَّةَ بِدَواءَينِ: السَّوطِ وَالسَّيفِ، لا هَوادَةَ عِندَ الإِمامِ، فَاستَتِروا بِبُيوتِكُم، وأصلِحوا فيما بَينَكُم، وَالتَّوبَةُ مِن وَرائِكُم، مَن أبدى صَفحَتَهُ لِلحَقِّ هَلَكَ.
قَد كانَت اُمورٌ لَم تَكونوا عِندي فيها مَعذورينَ، أما إنّي لَو أشاءُ أن أقولَ لَقُلتُ، عَفَا اللهُ عَمّا سَلَفَ، سَبَقَ الرَّجُلانِ، وقامَ الثّالِثُ كَالغُرابِ هِمَّتُهُ بَطنُهُ، وَيلَهُ لَو قُصَّ جَناحاهُ وقُطِعَ رأسُهُ لَكانَ خَيراً لَهُ.
اُنظُروا فَإِن أنكَرتُم فَأَنكِروا، وإن عَرَفتُم فَبادِروا، حَقٌّ وباطِلٌ ولِكُلٍّ أهلٌ، ولَئِن أمِرَ³ الباطِلُ لَقَديماً فَعَلَ، ولَئِن قَلَّ الحَقُّ فَلَرُبَّما ولَعَلَّ، ولَقَلَّ ما أدبَرَ شَيءٌ فَأَقبَلَ، ولَئِن رَجَعَت إلَيكُم نُفوسُكُم إنَّكُم لَسُعَداءُ، وإنّي لأَخشىٰ أن تَكونوا في فَترَةٍ، وما عَلَيَّ إلّا الاِجتِهادُ.
ألا إنَّ أبرارَ عِترَتي وأطايِبَ اُرومَتي، أحلَمُ النّاسِ صِغاراً، وأعلَمُ النّاسِ كِباراً، ألا وإنّا أهلُ بَيتٍ مِن عِلمِ اللهِ عَلِمنا، وبِحُكمِ اللهِ حَكَمنا، وبِقَولٍ صادِقٍ أخَذنا، فَإِن تَتَبَّعوا آثارَنا تَهتَدوا بِبَصائِرِنا، وإن لَم تَفعَلوا يُهلِككُم اللهُ بِأَيدينا، مَعَنا رايَةُ الحَقِّ، مَن تَبِعَها لَحِقَ، ومَن تَأَخَّرَ عَنها غَرِقَ، ألا وبِنا تُدرَكُ تِرَةُ⁴ كُلِّ مُؤمِنٍ، وبِنا تُخلَعُ رِبقَةُ الذُّلِّ مِن أعناقِكُم، وبِنا فُتِحَ لا بِكُم، وبِنا يُختَمُ لا بِكُم.⁵